When it comes to giving, Tony Crubaugh and his wife make it a family affair.
“A few years ago, we sat down at the diningroom table as a family, and decided together to which organizations we would give,” said Crubaugh, chair of the Department of History. “It gives us a chance to talk about what our values are, and in what we believe.”
Crubaugh is one of many University employees who participate in the annual, statewide State and University Employees Combined Appeal (SECA) campaign. This year’s SECA theme is Choices from the Heart, signifying the personal choices donors make when choosing which charities will receive their gifts.
Crubaugh’s children, who each select four of the more than 1,900 charities in the SECA catalog, choose items close to their hearts. “My son thinks about the survival of sharks in the ocean, and my daughter really feels for orphans,” said Crubaugh of his children, who are 14 and 12. “Sitting down with the catalog allows us to talk about what concerns us. And it lets my wife and me tell the children that some things are worth fighting for.”
The time together gives his family another lesson. “For us, I hope sitting down and discussing these charities gives our children a sense of gratitude for the things we do have,” he added.
There are nearly 2,000 charities employees can choose to support through the 2013 State and University Employees Combined Appeal (SECA). Those giving to the SECA campaign can target which charities receive their contributions. Search SECA to see the list.
